robertson



No. 626.039. Patented May 30, I899. J. H. ROBERTSON.

MACHINE FOB SCRAPING, SWEEPING, AND SANDING TRACKS.

(Application filed Max. 16. 1897.) v (No Model.) 2 beets-Sheet I.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented May 30, I899.

J. H. worsemscm.v MACHINE FOR SCRAPING, SWEEPING, AND SANDING TRACKS.

(Applicatior filed Mar. 16, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

EN0 Model.)

INVENTOR wnmzsses:

ATTORNEYS m: norms versus co. wnom4.11'no.. WASHINGTON. a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFnicE.

JOHN H. ROBERTSOhL OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FORSCRAPING, SWE'EPING, AND SANDING TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,039, dated May 30',1899.

Application filed March 16, 1897. Serial No. 627,830. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Machines for Scraping, Sweeping, and SandingTracks, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to an improvement in machines for scraping,sweeping, and sanding thoroughly sweeping the track, comprising rotarybrushes driven by the advance movements of the machine and guards forreceiving the dirt as it is brushed from the track and deflecting ittherefrom.

A further object is to provide certain embodiments in the means forbringing the several parts into and out of engagement with thetrack-rails and also to so construct the machine that it may be used fortreating the rails when driven in either direction.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents aside view,partially in section, of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan viewof the truck and lower portion of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detail viewshowing the means for raising and lowering the free end of the framewhich carries the rotarybrushanditsdriving mechanism. Fig. 4 is apartial top plan view of a portion ofthe lower part of the machine,showing a modi fied form of brush-driving mechanismi and Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail cross-section showing the means for guiding the upwardand downward movement of the scraper-carrying arm.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my machine in connection witha suitable supporting-platform mounted upon the axles of two pairs oftraction-wheels arranged to travel along the track-rails. The platformis denoted as a whole by A, and it may bemade of any desired length andwidth to suit the purposes to which it is to be used. It is providedwith suitable trucks at, by means of which it is'supported upon a pairof ax-lesB B", which axles have mounted thereon suitable traction-wheelsb.' The machine may be provided with any suitable brake mechanism O.

Proceeding to describe the track -railscraping mechanism, a suitablerock-shaftD extends transversely across the machine near its end and ismounted in suitable bearings form A to reciprocate vertically over eachof tracks, and more particularly to means for the track-rails, theguides for the said up- ?rights being located near the rock-shaft D.

The rock-shaft D is provided with av sectorrack 01 opposite each of thescraper-supporting uprights'E in position to engage the same, whereby asthe shaft D is rocked the said uprights E are positively slid up anddown.

- The upper portion of the upright E, which passes through the upperguide e, is preferably screw-threaded and is provided with a hand-nut efor positively adjusting the limit of the downward movement of the saidupright and also serving to positively hold the said upright awayfromthe track when so desired. The said upright E is permitted a limitedlateral movement in its lower guide 6 for permitting the scraper whichit carries to retain its position within the groove of the rail when themachine is passing around curves in the track. i

The scraperis denoted by F, and it is hinged to the upright E, so as toswing upwardly and backwardly, a spring f,- extending between anabutment e on the upright and the scraper, tending to yieldingl'y holdthe scraper at the limit of its forward movement. The scraper F may beprovided with a suitable scrapingpoint f, which is adapted to enter thegroove in the track-rail, which scraping-point is readily renewed. Thescraping-point f may be a portion of' a wire cable, if so desired. Therock-shaft-operatin g lever (1 may be provided with a suitable hook dwhich is adapted to be engaged with the dashboard a when the lever isswung forwardly in position to lift the upright E and the scraper Fawayflfrom the track.-

There are two sets of scraper mechanisms, one at each end of themachine, each set consistin g of'a single rook-shaft and lever, twoVertically-reciprocating uprights and scrapers, and two sector-racks forconnecting the rockshaft with the uprights.

Proceeding to describe the sweeping mechanism, a rotary brush G ismounted upon each side of the machine in position to engage atrack-rail, the said rotary brush being mounted at or near the free endof a swinging frame H, hinged on the axle B or B of the running-gear.The rotary brush G is driven in a reverse direction to the direct-ion inwhich the machine is going by a suitable connection with the axle uponwhich its supporting-frame is hinged.

Proceeding to describe the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 2, the axle gof the brush G has a bevel-gear connection g with one end of a shaft I,extending along within the frame, the other end of the shaft having ageared connection 1' with the axle B.

The mechanism for driving the rotary brush G (shown in Fig. 4) is asfollows: The axle g of the brush G is provided with a suitable sprocketgiwhich is connected with a sprocketwheel 9 mounted near the axle B, bya suitable chain g, the axle of the sprocket-wheel being provided with asuitable gear 9 intermeshing with a gear I) on the axle B. It will thusbe seen that the free end of the frame H may be raised and loweredwithout interfering with the driving of the rotary brush G when themachine is in motion. The free end of each of the swinging frames II ispositively raised and lowered for moving the rotary brushes G away fromand into en gagement with the track-rail by means of a suitable rod J,having its lower end connected with the free end of the frame II, as ath, preferably by means of a connecting-rod The upper end of the barJ isscrew-threaded, which screw-threaded portion is engaged by a suitableoperating hand-wheel K, mounted to rotate in a suitable support 7;,carried by the platform A, whereby the rotation of the wheel K in onedirection will raise the frame ll and in the other direction willpositively lower the same. These two frames H in the present instanceare shown as the one hinged upon one axle B and the other upon the otheraxle B, the free ends of the said frames being opposite each other, sothat the rotary brushes G will engage the track-rails between the wheelsI).

Proceeding to describe the sanding device, hoppers L are supported bythe platform A and are provided with pipes l for directing the sandwithin the hoppers down onto the track-rails near each of thetraction-wheels b. Each of these hoppers L is provided with a suitablevalve 1, which may be opened and closed mechanically for permitting thesand to escape into the sand-pipe Z or to shut off the escape of sand,as is desired. The mechanism shown herein consists of anupwardlyextended valve stem which extends up through the top Z and isthere connected to the short arm m of a lever M, pivoted at m. The longarm m of the lever being capable of being clamped to a sector m by meansof a suitable clamping device m, the amount of sand which it may bedesired to permit to escape may thus be very accurately determined byopening and closing the valve Z to the required degree and then clampingthe lever M to the sector 111 A guard O is secured to the platformAadjacent to each of the rotary brushes G, the said guard being providedwith wings 0 for receiving the dirt as it is brushed from the track anddeflecting it, so that it will fall in a pile along the side of thetrack. This guard is very desirable where the rotary brushes are mountedto rotate in a line with the trackrail, but would not be used where thebrushes rotate at an angle thereto.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: Supposing that the machineis to be moving in the direction indicated by the arrow upon Fig. 1,thescraping device at the front of the machine is lowered down intoengagement with the track-rails, the front sand-hoppers are closed, therear sand-hoppers are open, and the rear scraping mechanism is raisedout of engagement with the track-rails. As the machine is driven thescrapers will effectually remove all foreign matter from therail-grooves. The rotary brushes will then clean off the rails, and therear sanding device will then sprinkle on the required amount of sand,thus leaving the rails in proper condition fortrafiic. If the scrapersshould strike any obstruction which would tend to break them, they willyield and pass over the same.

Because of the limited lateral movement which the scraper is permittedto haye its point will not be removed from the groove in the rail whenthe machine is passed around curves in the track.

It will be seen that the pressure of the scraper may be accuratelyadjusted, the engagement of the rotary brushes with the track may bealso accurately adjusted, and the desired amount of sand may bedistributed, thereby enabling the machine to accomplish all desiredresults.

It is evident that slight changes may be resorted to in the constructionand arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself strictlyto the structure herein set forth; but

\Vhat I claim is- A track-rail-treating machine, comprising a suitablesupport mounted upon the traction-wheels, rotary brushes mounted inposition to engage the track between the tractionwheels, the axis ofrotation of the said brushes being at right angles to the track andguards secured to the support adjacent to the rotary brushes, each ofthe said guards being provided with wings to the front and rear of therotary brush for receiving the dirt as it is brushed from the track anddeflectingit therefrom when the brush is rotated in either direction,substantially as set forth.

JOHN H. ROBERTSON.

\Vitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, EDWARD V IESER.

